How does one care about fools?

Submitted by RB in Mugla (Turkey), Jul 28, 2008 at 06:21

In my five years in Turkey, popular attitudes regarding Israel have fallen into two general categories. There are those who by antipathetic lifelong conditioning, systematic media messaging and the ever increasing animus of specific religious rote, simply despise Israel. While never insignficant, this group is in ascendancy and could easily become a (intentionally governrment driven) powerful poliltcal dynamic here.

The intensity factor for this group can be described as ranging from medium boil to white hot furor. And its mindset is stoked daily by the aforementioned highly energized influences. The second category consists of those who have had enough exposure to foundational objective BD information ( BD; that is, before DeGaulle) and enough first hand contact, experience and independent knowledge to resist or balance 25 odd years of the EU Israelphobic drone, and thus hold varying degrees of sympathy and respect for the Israeli State. As implied, this group has had little newable energy and is a shrinking lot; partially via aging, partially by erosive toll of the unanswered anti-Israeli Al Jazeera ( and ilk) perpetrual drumbeat. As is most often the nature of such thoughful, deliberative support, this is a quiet group. Drawing from both these camps is a newly emergent 3rd group which in the end may in fact more practically inform and direct the effective Turkish attitudes about Israel. Call the new mind set ( my term) "Indifference to Fools". For the AKP closet Islamist government in Ankara, this development may be nothing less than divine providence. Their dilemma has been how to guide the once upon a time close and friendly relationship with Israel through the present neutral stance toward the not very secret goal of joining their Islamic regional brethren in the "struggle" to eliminate israel and "restore" Palestine. Now they need not provoke the US or discomfort the confused EU-orite neo-liberal idealogues at all. Rather, Turkey need excite or offend no one but can simply ignore the final chapter in the strange contest in Judea/Palestine.

Clearly better to let nature take its course, and just take a seat in the viewing stadium alongside the diverse array of fellow nations to watch the Israeli fools fight themselves to the death. The Israelis have turmed upon themselves and in doing so have turned become laughing stocks. It may not quite have reached the point yet but it appears that sooner than later, even Fatah and Hamas and Hizbollah will be sitting on the sidelines watching the Zionist Gladiator slay himself. And hardly a soul will cry. It's hard; very very hard to care about fools. Even harder when the self-destructors have lost even the basic human element of self-respect.

RB in Mugla

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".